Sex, Drugs & Drinking
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: new school year for Lizzie. Lizzie and Kate are friends and both 17. Mentions sex abuse. I don't own anyone. *Please Review. If you review I'll write more so please do.* Edited.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

_My mom came home at 2 a.m. the morning of Monday, September 1 my first day of 10th grade. She never came home this late so I knew something had to be wrong. She came into my dark room and woke me up. She also never did that, either._

_"Elizabeth," she said._

_I rolled over in my comfy bed and moaned._

_"Mmf," was my reply._

_"Elizabeth honey."_

_No one ever called me Elizabeth. It was always lizzie._

_"Wake up I need to tell you something."_

_I woke up and sat against my comfy pillows._ _I looked at my mother and blinked away sleep._

_"Um your father was killed last night. At 8. Car accident. That's all we know."_

_I was barely able to register this, having just woken up._

_"Where's Dad?" I asked, confused._

_My brain wasn't fully processing yet._

_"He's dead sweetheart."_

_I finally realised the full intent of what my mother had just told me._

_I didn't get to sleep at all that morning._

**Please Review**


	2. Chapter 2

The day dawned bright, sunny and early for the morning of the first day of school. I was very tired and it seemed much too bright and early for school to start. It was 7 a.m. and had been 5 hours since I'd heard the news of my father's death and a full 24 hours plus some more since it had happened. I was on the school campus on the wide span of green grass that was the front lawn of the school. My mom had driven me to school but we'd barely talked. I guess we weren't sure what to say to each other. Students were screaming to each other across the lawn: "How was your summer?" "You broke up? Where when?" "How was Paris?" "No I didn't" "Enya did what?" "Shannon I am so sorry" "look this is what I got from rock climbing." is what I heard as I walked across the lawn.

"Lizzie!" I heard a voice call my name.

I whirled around and saw my one and only friend Katherin Rose, aka Kate, Saunders-Hill running toward me, her blonde curls bouncing. When she reached me we hugged. We hadn't seen each other at all over the summer. She smelled good.

"Hey," I greeted her.

"Hi. How are you?" she asked me.

"Um tired?" I guessed.

She laughed.

We started walking towards the school building.

"Yeah, I know. Me too. It is waay too early in the morning to be at school. Who dreams up these things?"

I laughed: "yeah I know."

"It means we'll get out earlier but I don't know which I'd rather have."

Most schools went from 9 - 3. Today we went from 7 - 1.

"I am so not a morning person.

"Mmm I know neither am I. Look, there're Belle and Miranda," Kate commented, pointing to our former friends from the previous year, 2 brunettes.

"Oh they're still here?" I asked in annoyance.

"Mmhmmm. Apparently."

"Ugh."

Kate and I used to be in 2 separate cliques but we became friends because we were the only ones that wanted to stick together.

"Omygod I can't believe they're friends now," she commented.

"Mmm I know. Go figure."

"Where's David?" Kate asked, referring to another friend of ours.

"I don't know."

"Hey assembly in the auditorium right now!" a tall girl with wild red hair called as she passed us.

"K thanks!" Kate called back but the girl was too far away to hear.

"So how was your summer?" I asked Kate.

"Um it was ok. Didn't do a whole bunch. Worked 3 jobs."

"Oo where?"

"Bookstore library coffee shop," she answered.

"Ohhh."

"Cuz I needed the money and you know my mom."

"Yeah."

I laughed.

"I also slept a lot when I wasn't working," she said.

"Yeah, me too."

A pause.

"And what about you how was your summer?" Kate asked.

"Um it was alrite. The family went on vacation for about 2 weeks so I had the entire house to myself, which was nice."

"Mmm."

"And I just mainly slept.""Oh."

A pause.

"So how've you been?" I asked her.

"Um I've been ok. Kind of better now that he's gone."

"Yeah me too. Jeez."

Kate was referring to her father who used to molest her whenever he was around.

"And what about you?" she asked me.

"Um I've been…" I wasn't ready to tell her about my dad yet. "ok."

"Oh."

Pause.

"So new school year with everything fresh, crisp and clean," Kate started.

"Yep."

"New school year, new teachers, new classes, new schedules, new life. Hopefully. A new start after last year."

"What a year that was. Hopefully less drama," I finished.

There'd been a lot of drama last year.

Pause.

"Hey Lizzie," Kate said, looking at me.

"Yeah?"

"You seem, tireder than usual. Er, I mean more tired."

I laughed.

"Is somethin goin on? Did something happen?" she asked.

"Yeah I…I'll tell you about it later."

"Ok."

We'd now entered the school and the auditorium inside it. A few feet ahead of us were Belle, Miranda and a girl who looked very much like Belle.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the girl.

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine," Kate answered.

We found some seats and sat down. The seats were uncomfortable, wooden. In rows.

Within the next few minutes everyone was settled but still chattering.

"May I have your attention please?" the principle asked us.

He was onstage.

The noise died down a bit.

"Thank you."

He cleared his throat; "First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone. I hope your summer was enjoyable."

Some students shrieked and some just groaned, having heard this speech before.

"The rules will be enforced and we do care about you. There will be no alcohol, drugs…" I stopped listening.

"No one's gonna listen to him," I told Kate.

"Yeah they haven't before and they're sure as hell not gonna start now," she said.

We looked around the auditorium for a few minutes noticing the seats were all full.

"You know, after 2 weeks we're all gonna be wondering when the hell do we get out of here?"

I sighed; "yeah."

"Our first pep rally is in 2 weeks so make sure you sign up for cheerleading!" the principle cried.

He was done with his speech and people were now dancing onstage some of the students.

"Are you signing up?" Kate asked me.

"Yeah. Anything that keeps me away from home longer."

"Yeah, same."

"First cheerleading meeting is tomorrow after school so be there," Mr. Principle announced.

"Have you been practicising over the summer?" Kate asked.

"With what?" I was confused.

"Ballet."

"Oh. No, not really."

"Me either."

We both took ballet.

By that time the assembly was over. all the students crowded out the door at once to get our schedules.

Once we'd gotten our schedules Kate and I stepped to the side in the hall outside the big room to look at our schedules.

"What do you have?" I asked her.

"Science, math, history, English, art and anatomy. You?"

"Math, English and art."

"Ohhh."

"When's your first class?" I asked Kate.

"Um right…" the bell rang, sounding like a telephone; "now."

"Alrite see you at lunch?"

"Yep."

"Ok bye Kate."

"Bye Lizzie."

I went to my first class which was math. My math classes alternated days; on one day I had algebra and the other, geometry.

Each of my classes was 2 hours. My English teacher informed us that she was also the drama teacher if any of us wanted to sign up for the play. We also had 3 plays every year. She also offered electives such as creative writing.

Algebra was from 8 – 10 and English was from 10 – 12, which was lunchtime and by that time I was hungry.

**Please Review**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tuesday**

* * *

We were stretching in ballet class the following morning, Tuesday, before class actually started.

"Hey Lizzie," Kate greeted me and sat down next to me.

"Hey Kate."

She started stretching.

"Hi," the girl next to us said.

She looked a lot like us with blue eyes and bouncy blonde curls which were pulled up into a bun.

"Hey I'm Lizzie," I said.

"I'm Ashley," the girl said.

"Hi I'm Kate," Kate said.

"Hi. Where do yall go to school?"

I laughed.

"I'm from Brooklyn. Well, New Orleans originally," Ashley told us.

"Oh. We've lived here all our lives."

Ashley laughed.

"And we go to school at South," Kate informed Ashley.

"Wow no way. Me too."

"How come we haven't seen you around then?" I wanted to know.

"Oh well it_ is_ a big school."

"Yeah it is," Kate agreed.

"And I've kinda been hiding in the shadows. I don't know a lot of people."

"Well you know us," I said.

Ashley smiled; "that's true."

"So that's a start."

"You have a really pretty smile," Kate observed.

"Thanks. I model."

"Wow."

"How long you been dancing?" I asked Ashley.

"Since I was 4, pretty much all my life. Mostly ballet. I used to play piano but…..stopped when my mother died which was when I was 4. She was pregnant with my sister, who also died, and was going to be named after my mother, Angela Lily."

"Ohhh," Kate said.

"Wow," I said.

"Yeah."

"That's pretty," I commented.

"Thanks."

"Mmhmm."

Ashley stretched over her leg.

"I know about death. My dad died August 31 of this year and I'm still not over it," I said.

"Jeez."

"Yeah."

"This is my first ballet class here," Ashley said.

"Welcome and we hope you like it," Kate said.

Ashley smiled, again; "thanks."

More stretching.

"So yall doin any shows or anything?" she asked us.

"Um well yes, actually. Dracula, Swan Lake and Nutcracker," I replied.

"Dracula. That is such a big thing down south yall have no idea."

"Really?"

"Yeah we're very much into that stuff. We have this whole huge shebang every Halloween. Graveyards and everything."

"Wow that sounds really….different."

"Yeah it is but it's great though. Yall heard of Lily Dale?"

"New York?" Kate asked.

"Yeah."

"Yeah I saw a book about it when I worked at the bookstore this summer."

"Yeah I used to go there every summer back when I lived in New York."

"Wow. Do you think you'll ever go back?" I asked.

"Idinno."

"Is it true that it's the town that talks to the dead?" Kate wanted to know.

"Yep. It's gorgeous durin the summer. Small towns and big gardens and wow. One of the few towns that's actually in New York. Really brings the history back."

"Wow."

"My mother played the lead in Swan Lake and Nutcracker a few times," Ashley told us, switching topics; "so did my grandmother, Lavender Rose."

"Woooww," Kate said.

"Yeah so I kina grew up with it."

"What a pretty name," I said.

Ashley again smiled; "thanks."

Pause.

"So what do yall like to do?" Ashley asked us.

"Um well excercising; ice-skating, horseback riding, yoga and ballet, obviously," Kate said.

"Down south there was nowhere to go ice skating since it was always so damn hot. Except when it rained and then you couldn't go anywhere cuz of all the rain."

"Wow," I commented.

"Yeah. What else?"

"We're taking 4 classes at school, besides the usual ones," Kate said.

"Really which ones?"

"Fashion design, cooking, baking and psychology," I said.

"Wow yall must be really creative."

"Yeah. we're also in art," Kate said.

"Ooh me too. I luv to draw. And paint."

"Cool," I said.

"And we like clothes. And shopping," Kate said.

"Ooh me too. Yall wanna hang out sometime?"

"Um sure when?" I asked.

"Maybe tonight…or tomorrow…..or sometime this weekend."

"Alrite cool." Kate said.

"So what do yall have today?"

"School, cheerleading, although with this weather idinno how that's going to go, cooking, our job and then ice-skating," I said.

"Yeah it might snow soon. But I'm used to that since it snowed plenty in New York. And London."

"You've been to London?" Kate asked in surprise with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah spent an entire winter there a few times and thinking of goin there again. I've also been to Ireland since that's where my mother's from and France; she's from there as well. He's from London."

"Wow what was it like?" I asked.

"Which; London, France or Ireland?"

"Um London and France," Kate clarified.

"Ohh. We went to France durin the summer. It's beautiful with tons of lavender everywhere. One of my aunts still lives there, in the country."

"Wow. I luv lavender," I said.

"Me too. And London is amazing. I have so many stories about it."

"Well you'll have to tell us sometime," Kate said.

"I will."

"Ok," I said.

Pause.

"He?" Kate asked, with raised eyebrows.

"My father."

"Ohhh. I take it you're not on very good speaking terms with him. Well, actually that's why I left. Escaped, rather. To get away from him."

"I know what that's like. Except mine moved down to Mexico with his new wife and their kids."

"Ooooh."

"Yeah."

"So I take it he's still in New York?"

"Yep. Reason I aint never going back. Or don't plant to, anyway."

"Mmm."

Pause.

"How's the cooking going?" Kate asked us.

"Good good. Last time we made Indian food."

"Mmm I luuv Indian food."

"Yeah so do we."

"Yall ever had gumbo? Or okra? Or jambalaya?" Ashley asked us.

"And those are….?."

"From New Orleans, right?"

"Yeah. They're really good. So is a really good cup of tea."

"You sound British."

"I _am_ British."

We laughed.

"Maybe you could teach us how to make some in cooking next time?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Ok."

Pause.

Ashley sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I miss Rayna."

"Who's Rayna?"

"My best friend. Last time I saw her was before I left.'

"Wow."

"Yeah."

By now we had been stretching for at least a half hour.

"Hey has anyone seen the dance teacher?" a girl named Lisa asked.

We all looked around.

"No, no I haven't but I'll go look," Lauren offered.

She left the room.

"Well, this could be interesting," I said.

Jane looked out the window.

"Wow it's really comin down out there," she said.

"Yeah, it is," Linda agreed.

"You know," I observed; "if it keeps going at this rate then by the time we get to school we'll be at least an hour late, if not more."

"You still wanna go to school?" Ashley asked

"Hell no."

"Ok."

"Shopping day!"

We laughed.

"So where do you work?" Ashley asked.

"At the hospital."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"You can join us sometime if you want, maybe even today."

"Ok cool."

"Cool."

Lauren came back after about 20 minutes; "our teacher's out sick and all the schools are closed."


	4. Wednesday

**Wednesday**

* * *

We were all stretching in ballet class the next morning. A red haired girl sat down next to Ashley and started stretching. She was beautiful, with creamy rosy skin, long limbs and eyes that kept changing from blue to green to purple.

"Hey Ashley," the girl said.

"Hey Lily," Ashley said.

"How're you?"

"I'm ok how're you?"

"I'm ok," Lily said

"So where have you been?" Ashley asked.

"At school."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"How come I haven't seen you around/"

"Well it is a big school."

"So whatever happened to CA?" Ashley asked.

"I left."

"I know. Why?"

"idinno."

Pause.

"Oh lily these are my friends," Ashley said.

We all introduced ourselves.

I noticed a bruise on Lily's neck.

"How'd you get that bruise?" I asked.

"Oh it's from my dad."

"Oh god," Kate said.

"Yeah he and my mom fought. They prolly still do but since I'm not there. I used to live in California, with them."

"Wow" I said.

"Worst part is….they're not even my real parents."

"Ohhh," Kate said.

"Where ya from?" I asked Lily.

"Well, before here I lived in California. Then New York then London for awhile which is where Ashley and I met. I was born in Ireland though."

"Ohh," Kate said.

"We're from CA," I said.

"Ohh."

"You're really pretty," Kate observed.

"Thank you. Yeah, I model."

"Ohh."

"Now I live by myself,"


	5. Chapter 5

It was Monday, September 8, and week 2 of school was now beginning. We had survived week one, somehow. The same girl we had seen from week 1 informed us that yet again there was an assembly.

We walked into the auditorium and sat down. It wasn't as loud as expected. The principle stepped onto the stage, and everyone knew that was the signal to be quiet.

"Good morning, students although I don't know how good it will be after the news I'm about to deliver." He paused and then cleared his throat; "I regret to inform you that one of our students, Enya O'Leary, has died. Although not many of you knew her, as there are quite a large number of students at this school, you might know her cousin, Shannon O'Hara. Perhaps it's better this way. Enya was beautiful but in too much pain. Last night, she took her own life." He paused. "That is all. Classes are…….."

Has died has died has died. The last time I heard those words was the morning of august 31, when my mother told me the news of my father. Has died has died has died. They kept echoing and re-echoing in my head. I ran out of the auditorium and a few heads turned as my feet pounded up the aisle and out one of the many doors. Kate was calling after me but I was too far away to hear her and didn't bother stopping to listen to most of what she said.

"Lizzie…..wait……where are you going……classes are cancelled for the day and half of back"

I ran all the way to my house. When I got there no one was home. No one's ever home. I closed and locked the front door then ran upstairs and closed and locked the door of my room. It was now 8:00 and I slept until 12, lunchtime. That was when a pounding on the door awakened me.

"Lizzie, open up, it's Kate, I have food and Starbucks, cmon I know you're in there!" she yelled.

I made no move to open the door.

"Lizzie I forgot my key now open up!" more yelling more pounding.

A few minutes later my cell rang. Then, the home phone. I ignored them both. A text message appeared on my cell phone screen: LIZZIE ITS KATE PLEASE OPEN UP.

I went downstairs in my pajamas and robe. Blood from my cutting spree earlier that morning was what stuck my robesleeves to my skin but I didn't care. I opened the door. And there was Kate, standing on the doorstep holding a tray of Starbucks but not all of the beverages were from starbucks; a couple was from JavaCreek.

"Thank you," was the first thing she said to me.

We had been friends for so long that she didn't need to be told to come in.

"Hi," I said glumly.

She came in, set the drink tray down on the table and hugged me.

"Hey hun."

"Thanks for bringing my stuff over," I told her, in an effort to be polite. I had left my bag in the auditorium and I guess she had noticed and decided to bring it over.

"And for the drinks. You wanna come upstairs?" I asked her.

"Yeah ok."

As angry, depressed, cold, silent and distant as I was feeling, Kate still was my best friend.

We walked into the kitchen before going upstairs. Kate put 2 of the Starbucks drinks and the JavaCreek drinks in the microwave and the other Starbucks drinks, the ones that came in the clear plastic cups, in the fridge. I reached up into a cabinet and grabbed an Oreo Pop Tart out of the box. When I reached up the sleeves of my robe didn't expose my arm because the now dried blood was sticking the sleeve to my arm. Kate grabbed one too. Pop Tarts aren't the most healthy thing in the world for you but at that moment I didn't give a fuk.

I sat down at a high black bar stool while Kate chose a low wooden chair.

"So," I said after awhile, "how are you?"

I nibbled on my Pop Tart.

"Idinno Lizzie. I'm…….idinno."

She nibbled on hers and the microwave beeped. She opened the microwave door and pulled out the 2 beverages from JaveCreek, one for me and one for her.

"Here," she said, handing me mine; "drink this. It'll help."

I took a sip of mine. It was chai tea, one of my favourites; "thanks."

"You're welcome. Shall we go?" she asked, indicating the upstairs. I nodded, still sipping my drink.

The house was empty, quiet. Cold. It semed large, massive, vast, opulent.

Kate grabbed 2 boxes of Oreo Pop Tarts, 2 of Mrs. Fields cookees and 2 of Oreos and we headed upstairs.

We walked into my room, which had bloody tissues strewn about and razorblades, single and double edged, on the bed.

"Oh Lizzie," Kate said, as we sat down on the floor.

"Yeah, as you can see, I did quite a number on myself."

"Yes, you did."

We were quiet and sipped more of our beverages. I opened another package of Oreos.

Kate looked around. The room was almost too quiet.

"Well looks like you haven't destroyed anything else," she remarked.

I sighed; "yeah. Just my arms."

More silence. But Kate was fine with that, with waiting for me to talk.

"So what have you been doing?" she asked after awhile.

"Sleeping, since I got home."

"Damn you run quickly."

"Thanks. Jus tryin to run away I guess."

Pause.

"Kate, there's something you need to know about earlier this year."

She looked at me, her large blue eyes, the ones that were the same colour as mine, wide.

"On the night of August 31, at 8 p.m., my father was killed by a drunk driver."

Kate set her drink down; "oh Lizzie."

"And, the fact that that girl killed herself was……"

'"Just too much for you to bear."

"Yeah. I couldn't take it."

"I understand."

There was a pause as we sipped more of our drinks. We still hadn't touched the food.

"I mean, I didn't know her but she sounds like a really wonderful, beautiful person," I said.

"She was, Lizzie. She was. Everyone loved her."

"And then….she died."

"Yes. She did. She died," Kate confirmed.

"just………. Just, like, my dad."

Kate looked at me sympathetically; "oh Lizzie. Honey." She paused; "what a way to start the year."

"Yeah I know. First my father and now this."

Pause.

"You……….haven't touched your food," Kate observed.

"I'm, not very hungry. I guess."

"That can happen."

Pause. Kate shifted.

"I met Enya, recently," Kate told me.

"When?"

"Within the last year, or so."

"What was she like?"

"One of the nicest people I have ever come across. And Shannon, her cousin, is also really nice."


	6. Friday

It was now Friday, the end of week 2 of school and the month was halfway over. Even though it was only halfway over it still hadn't been the best month. And it was only September. We had 8 more months to go. The last day of school was May 30. Graduation followed, on the next day, May 31.

Kate and I were sitting in the cafeteria that rainy Friday, eating. A dark haired girl came over to us.

"Hello," she said.

We looked up.

"Hi," I said, and smiled.

"Hi. Mind if I sit with you?" the girl asked.

"No, please, there's plenty of room. Sit down," Kate said, and smiled herself.

The girl sat across from us and resumed eating her granola bar.

"Hi I'm Shannon," she introduced.

"Hi I'm Lizzie," I replied.

"Hi."

The girl smiled.

"Hi I'm Kate," Kate said.

"Hi. It's very nice to meet you."

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome."

"You're very polite," Kate noted.

"Thank you."

"Mmm hmm," I said.

"So where ya from?" Kate asked.

"Originally, from Ireland."

"Ireland wow," I said.

"Yeah. It's a long way from here.'

"Yeah, it is," kate agreed.

"And for awhile I lived in New York."

"Seems to be a common theme around here," I said.

"Oh?" Shannon asked.

"Yeah. Our friend Ashley's also from New York. New Orleans, originally. She's Irish, French and English." Kate informed Shannon.

"Hmmm. I've seen you around."

"Yeah," I said.

"Then we moved to Seattle and then here," Shannon told us.

"Wow." Kate

"Yes so we've moved around quite a bit."

"Mmm I can tell," I said.

Pause.

"Hey aren't you Enya's cousin?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. We've met, already. I had forgotten."

"It's ok."

"Wow," I said.

They looked at me.

"What?" Kate asked.

"6 degrees of separation," I explained.

"Oh."

Our friends Lily and Ashley came over to our table and sat down.

"Hey," Ashley said.

Shannon smiled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey I'm Ashley," Ashley introduced, smiling.

"And I'm Lily," Lily said.

"Hi I'm Shannon," Shannon replied.

"Nice to meet you," Ashley said.

"Thank you you too. Hey haven't we met before?" Shannon asked.

"Um no not that I recall…….." Ashley replied.

"Oh. Well, I'm just asking because you look familiar."

"Oh."

"In……….Ireland?' Shannon asked.

Ashley smiled with remembrance.

"Oh yeah. Yeah we have."

"It's ok. That's not the first time that's happened today."

"Ok."

Pause.

"We know about pain around here," I spoke up.

"Yes, yes we do," Lily said.

Shannon looked at me and lily and raised her eyebrows; "oh?"

"Yeah. You see, Shannon, my father died August 31 of this year," I explained.

Lily already knew this. We had met her in ballet. She was a friend of ash leys.

Shannon tilted her head; "oh. Wow. Lizzie I don't know what to say."

"Well it's a hella lot better than apologisin," I replied.

"It hasn't even been a month," Lily observed,

"No, no it hasn't."

"And I tried to kill myself several times in the River Shannon, for which I was named. That's another reason we had to move out of Ireland," Shannon informed us.

"Can't say I haven't tried the same thing myself."


	7. Chapter 7

**Friday**

It was now Friday, the end of week 2 of school. The month was halfway over. Even though it was only halfway over it still hadn't been the best month. And it was only September. We had 8 more months to go. The last day of school was May 30. Graduation followed, on the next day, May 31.

Kate and I were sitting in the cafeteria that rainy Friday, eating. A dark haired young womam came over to us.

"Hello," she said.

We looked up.

"Hi," I said, and smiled.

"Hi. Mind if I sit with you?" the brunette asked.

"No, please, there's plenty of room. Sit down," Kate said, and smiled herself.

The young woman sat across from us and resumed eating her granola bar.

"Hi I'm Shannon," she introduced.

"Hi I'm Lizzie," I replied.

"Hi."

The girl smiled.

"Hi I'm Kate," Kate said.

"Hi. It's very nice to meet you."

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome."

"You're very polite," Kate noted.

"Thank you."

"Mmm hmm," I said.

"So where ya from?" Kate asked.

"Originally, from Ireland."

"Ireland wow," I said.

"Yeah. It's a long way from here.'

"Yeah, it is," kate agreed.

"And for awhile I lived in New York."

"Seems to be a common theme around here," I said.

"Oh?" Shannon asked.

"Yeah. Our friend Ashley's also from New York. New Orleans, originally. She's Irish, French and English." Kate informed Shannon.

"Hmmm. I've seen you around."

"Yeah," I said.

"Then we moved to Seattle and then here," Shannon told us.

"Wow." Kate

"Yes so we've moved around quite a bit."

"Mmm I can tell," I said.

Pause.

"Hey aren't you Enya's cousin?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. We've met, already. I had forgotten."

"It's ok."

"Wow," I said.

They looked at me.

"What?" Kate asked.

"6 degrees of separation," I explained.

"Oh."

Our friends Lily and Ashley came over to our table and sat down.

"Hey," Ashley said.

Shannon smiled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey I'm Ashley," Ashley introduced, smiling.

"And I'm Lily," Lily said.

"Hi I'm Shannon," Shannon replied.

"Nice to meet you," Ashley said.

"Thank you you too. Hey haven't we met before?" Shannon asked.

"Um no not that I recall….." Ashley replied.

"Oh. Well, I'm just asking because you look familiar."

"Oh."

"In….Ireland?' Shannon asked.

Ashley smiled with remembrance.

"Oh yeah. Yeah we have."

"It's ok. That's not the first time that's happened today."

"Ok."

Pause.

"We know about pain around here," I spoke up.

"Yes, yes we do," Lily said.

Shannon looked at me and lily and raised her eyebrows; "oh?"

"Yeah. You see, Shannon, my father died August 31 of this year," I explained.

Lily already knew this. We had met her in ballet. She was a friend of ash leys.

Shannon tilted her head; "oh. Wow. Lizzie I don't know what to say."

"Well it's a hella lot better than apologisin," I replied.

"It hasn't even been a month," Lily observed,

"No, no it hasn't."

"And I tried to kill myself several times in the River Shannon, for which I was named. That's another reason we had to move out of Ireland," Shannon informed us.

"Can't say I haven't tried the same thing myself."


	8. Chapter 8

Across the table kate looked at me.

'talk?' she mouthed.

I nodded eyes wide.

"excuse us," I said getting up.

The other girls looked up at us, nodded.

"ok," they said.

Kate took my hand and led me outside away from everyone.

"yes?" I said.

"sweethart 2 things," she began.

"yeah?"

She looked at me and took both my hands in hers.

"well 1, I like you. A lot. A lot a lot. Ive wanted to kiss you for I don't know how long."

"oh. Um wow," I was surprised.

"im just….not sure that nows the best time."

It was then I realized I needed comfort more than what I was getting from her.

"but…" I got upset and confused all twisted inside.

Tears came to my eyes.

"honey im sorry. Id be with you if I could but im just. Not sure if youd be w/ me for the right reasons. And I wont do that to you."

"but…."

"its not that I don't want to."

"well. Fine then. don't. I don't care."

"yes you do. You do care. Oh youre so hurt."

I remembered there was a 2nd thing she wanted to tell me.

"what was the 2nd thing?" I asked not really having enough patience.

"I think you need to get away. Id say we could go to my place but I don't know how well thatd work."

I thought of my options. There was the café but I didn't really want to go there. And now kates was out of the question. I wasn't really sure where but I knew id find somewhere.

"hun?" she asked blinking and looking at me.

"huh?" I asked coming out of my reverie blinking at her.

"well? Where you wanna go?"

"wherever it is its not w/ you."

I began walking away from her.

"im trying to help you here!" she called after me.

I turned back towards her: "then help me by being w/ me."

"that's not what friends do."

"what, be w/ each other? Yeah I think it is. Unless im wrong."

"no. no. in fact you are wrong. I meant…..let their friends destroy themselves."

Oh.

She had a point but I didn't want to see it.

**Please Review**


End file.
